Due to funding cuts, it is estimated that three-quarters of the kindergartens built thanks to the Recovery and Resilience Plan could remain closed. This situation has been highlighted by some journalists who follow the evolution of a critical issue, which once again penalizes Southern Italy, children and southern families. According to Giovanna Bruno, president of Ali Puglia and mayor of Andria, we are witnessing a real injustice justified by the 2025 Budget Law.

The 2022 Budget Law set a target of 33% of places available at local level to ensure equal access to nursery services, thus seeking to reduce territorial inequalities. Bruno emphasizes that an essential level of performance (Lep) had finally been defined, financed progressively over five years. However, one of the annexes to the Structural Budget Plan has changed this percentage: the right to nursery school will no longer be guaranteed at 33% at national level, but only at 15% at regional level. This change risks further widening the gap between North and South. The president says that such an injustice is unacceptable and the senators of the Democratic Party have announced a question on the matter. The mayors are ready to demonstrate together with the communities affected by this decision.

Bruno goes on to say that municipalities, especially those in Southern Italy, have invested significantly in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), hoping for a relaunch after the serious crisis caused by the pandemic. Municipalities had identified the problems exacerbated by Covid-19 and were planning investments to address them. Many families had placed their trust in the improvement of childcare services, hoping for an expansion of the territorial offer for children. With an ongoing demographic crisis, failing to meet such significant expectations certainly does not encourage families to consider parenthood as a future project.